National
Elections 2017: 4,708 file nominations for Phase II polls
Parties filed nominations for the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system for the second phase of federal and provincial elections, to be held on December 7, on Thursday,Prithvi Man Shrestha
Parties filed nominations for the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system for the second phase of federal and provincial elections, to be held on December 7, on Thursday, with the Election Commission (EC) saying nomination filing was peaceful in all 45 districts.
Nominations for the first phase of both the polls scheduled for November 26 were filed on October 22.
Nepali Congress President and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is contesting from Dadeldhura, which has only one constituency, for the House of Representatives while CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal filed their papers from Jhapa-5 and Chitwan-3 respectively.
The EC said in press statement that the nomination process concluded peacefully “with a lot of excitement and huge participation of political parties”.
“All the doubts over elections have been cleared now, and today’s nomination process has ensured the
formation of federal parliament and provincial assemblies.”
Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav said that the support the poll body received from all the sides contributed in ensuring the elections on time.
EC officials said the threshold provision for both the FPTP and PR systems discouraged smaller parties and individuals from contesting the elections.
A party needs to secure three percent votes under the PR system to secure seats in the House of Representative while 1.5 percent votes are required to secure seat in the provincial assembly.
Likewise, law on political parties has made it mandatory that a party needs to secure three percent votes under PR and secure at least a seat under FPTP system to be considered as a national party.
As per the election schedule of the EC, candidates can withdraw their names on Sunday. The EC will publish the final list and distribute election symbols to the parties the same day. The poll body has urged all to adhere to the election code of conduct which has been in place since August 30.
By the numbers
Federal parliament nominations 1,742
Provincial assembly nominations 2,966
Total 4,708
Women candidates
Federal parliament 126
Provincial assemblies 209
Total 334
Districts 45
Eligible voters 12,198,852
Federal constituencies 128
Provincial constituencies 256
Candidacy trivia
Nepali Congress President and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba failed to reach Dadeldhura for nomination, hence NC leader Ganesh Prasad Panta filed papers on his behalf through a letter of attorney
This is Deuba’s sixth nomination; he is one of the few leaders to have won all five elections, including two CA polls, since the restoration of democracy in 1990
UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli filed his candidacy from Jhapa-2, but he will not be able to vote for himself, as he is registered in Bhakatpur-2
Oli lost the first CA polls in 2008 from Jhapa-7, the only elections to lose since 1990
Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal returned to his home district as he filed his candidacy from Chitwan-3 as a common candidate of the UML and his party under a left alliance they have forged
Dahal won 2008 CA elections from Kathmandu-10 and Rolpa-2; he lost second CA polls in 2013 in Kathmandu-10 but won from Siraha-5